My cousin and I will be flying to Italy to meet my 19 year old daughter in Florence on June 11. She will have been there for 3 weeks. We have 11 days, not counting our travel days. NOne of us have ever been to Italy before. My daughter would like to experience another part of Italy since she will have been in Florence and the surrounding area. Does this itinerary look doable?
1. 2-3 days in Tuscany(this is where mom wants to go), is it best to rent a car, or can you go most places by train or bus?
2. My daughter would like to go to the Cinque Terre area. Is two nights there OK, or is it worth spending more time?
3. We will spend at least our last 2 days in Florence, so she can show us around.
4. We have looked at the Calabria area or the area around Sorrento, any recommendations?
I have been reading postings on this site for a week, since we decided to go, and am concerned that we may not find lodging, so I need to firm up our itinerary...with so many interesting places...where do we go?? Thanks!

YOu haven't mentioned Rome, which would be more convenient travel-wise than Sorrento. Also, it's one of the world's great cities!

My suggestion would be the following:
3 days Tuscany (you will need a car)
2 days Cinque Terre (but only if your daughter insists; I've never been there, but I think it can be done by train)
4 days Venice (by train)
2 days Florence
(You can, of course, tweak a day here or there depending on your own interests.)

Calabria and the Amalfi Coast are, in my opinion, much too far away to make it worth your while.

<<concerned that we may not find lodging, so I need to firm up our itinerary...with so many interesting places>>

Well, if you have learned nothing from this forum, I will take some pleasure that you have learned this important lesson.

It's not that you won't be able to find ANY lodging...it's mor elike you can find the better choices in the better locations, at the better rates -and NOT using up your (limited) travel time securing places to stay - - by doing just what you say... firming up an itinerary, and making reservations before you go.

<< is it best to rent a car>>

In my opinion, yes, absolutely. Can your daughter drive a manual transmission? Hopefully, she can, and if so, she ought to be the primary driver, at least in the first 24 hours. 19 year olds CAN rent (rather small) cars from www.its-cars-hotels.com (maybe other sources also)

I would encourage CLOSER places than Calabria. You have already identified your greatest obstacle: too few days. The Sorrento peninsula will be ice contrast to Tuscany, and maybe makes it slightly duplicative to plan on the Cinque Terre (but in all fairness, I have never been to the CT).

You're going to get many answers, as you have (evidently) read enough to be able to formulate good and cogent questions. There will be no right answers.

Best wishes,

Rex

Are you flying into Florence or Rome? If you are flying into Rome have your daughter meet you there. Spend a few days in Rome and then travel south to Sorrento/Amalfi coast area for a few days. Leave for Tuscany/CT area from Sorrento/Naples and end in Florence.

I want to thank everyone for the information, after reading many more posts on other threads, we are trying to decide between Rome and Venice for the 4-5 days we have in the middle. Unfortunately, we have to arrive and leave from Florence, because her travel was set up by the University. I have a million questions still, but find many anwers on other threads. There is a wealth of knowledge on this website! 42 Days and counting...

Hi sm,

My bias is Venice over Rome.

You can fly into Florence, have your daughter meet you at the airport, take a cab to the train station and be at Venice SL station in under 3 hrs.

Then relax and enjoy the rest of your visit.

Just returned from our first trip in April. CT is great, about 2 1/2 hour train from Florence. Two nights is plenty.

I vote for Rome over Venice, IMO there will be more for you to do.

I completely understand your million questions feeling! Just know that everything will no run smoothly but you will enjoy yourselves anyway.

I just returned from a two week trip to northern Italy (my fifth visit to the country). I just wanted to make a comment for anyone planning to visit the Cinque Terre for the first time. It is a beautiful area but you have to be prepared for the crowds. I partially blame Rick Steve's for this. On my recent trip, there were masses of American college students roaming around reading his book, numerous German tour groups there for the hiking and HOARDS of Italian high school students. And this was in the off season! I am sad to note that I heard more English and German being spoken than Italian. Is it worth it for a day or two? I guess if you have the extra time and the patience for small towns packed with tourists. There are so many other small, less touristy, towns more worthy IMO. And to weigh in on the Venice/Rome debate, I have spent time in both cities and would choose Rome. Over the years, I have actually spent several weeks in Rome and I continue to find new things to see. Don't try to do too many cities, otherwise it will start to feel like you spent your vacation in a car or on a train. Good luck!

I definitely recommend Venice over any other option. It is a fabulous, unique, incredible city and one that shouldn't be missed.

smarmom, Have you made your choice?

Just a note; I think it's important when one expresses their preference that they disclose if they have only been to one of the places. It's not really a fair comparison if you have no frame of reference.

Grasshopper,
We have finalized our itinerary, and I know many will say we are trying to do too much, but don't think we will have the chance to get back for a long time. We will fly in and spend the first night in Florence. Then leave the next day for C.T. (don't panic, we have to come back to Florence to leave)
So: 2 nights C.T. (Vernazzo)
3 nights in Venice
3 nights in Siena
3 nights in Florence
Alas, Rome will have to wait. My daughter will be spending 2-3 days in Rome while she is there with the University, and she wanted to see another city, so Venice it is! Thanks everyone for all the advice, I just confirmed my last two reservations, and all the places look good and stayed under budget (most expenxive 130 Euro). We will find out how good when we get there! Many were recommended on this site, Baranin (CT), B&B Peterson (Florence), Piccolo Hotel Oliveto (Siena). And two looked good and had good reviews on venere.com...so we'll see. It will be an adventure for all of us, no one has been to Italy before, and I am the only one who has been to Europe before. Now on to train and car reservations. I have been reading up on all the threads for that. One question I have is:
When you buy a train ticket, are you commited to a certain time, or can you travel any time on that day? I was hoping to stay a little bit flexible, so that if we wanted to hang out in Venice until early afternoon, instead of leaving in the morning, we could. I haven't found an answer to this yet. Thanks again everyone!

Our experience is that the only reservation times are for 1st class on Eurostar. I might be wrong, but our other tickets did not have dates or times.

Thanks motor city girl, so when you are on Trenitalia, and it brings up all the trains on that day that go to say, Florence, and you pick one, that doesn't have to be the time you travel?

Since all the tickets for Eurostar are reserved seats included in your ticket price I don't think you could just change if you wanted to. There would have to be available seats on the train you wanted. If you do a search for GAC you will find all the train information on Italy.

you really don't need to book your train tickets in advance. you are not doing major train trips or overnights so no worries! and it is cheaper to buy in person than through the raileurope site.